Chapter 104: There is Still Three Thousand Two Hundred Taels' Worth Left (1)
Chapter 103 – There is Still Three Thousand Two Hundred Taels’ Worth Left (1)
Baek Mu-geuk, who flinched, jumped up. To his surprise, was Namgung Cheon not sitting astride the window frame?
Baek Mu-geuk, who rarely showed any change in his expression, opened his eyes wide as if he was also very surprised this time.
How could he be in a place like that…?
Since it was so absurd, the words that burst out of his mouth were a somewhat random question.
“Why are you here…?”
“What do you mean why? I came to finish what we were talking about last time.”
“What we were talking about last time? No, more than that, why in a place like that…”
“Since the door was locked, I had no choice.”
As Namgung Cheon shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal, Baek Mu-geuk opened his mouth wide with his usual blank expression.
‘When on earth did he come?’
He must have been too focused on chatting with Il-geuk.
Otherwise, there was no way he would only now notice the presence of Namgung Cheon, who was sitting proudly on the window frame… No. Even so, to only notice it now?
It really felt as though a ghost had suddenly appeared.
Even so, he had thought that his sensory perception, at least, was sharper than anyone else’s.
Just then, Namgung Cheon gestured with his chin and spat out a word.
“Do that again.”
“Again? What…?”
“What you were doing earlier. Playing two roles by yourself and all that. I want to see it again.”
Want to see what again, you crazy bastard!
No matter how insensitive Baek Mu-geuk was, he could not help but get angry inside at this absurd demand.
However, he calmly shook his head with a face that pretended nothing was wrong.
“It’s not something under my control.”
“Oh, really? That’s fascinating.”
Namgung Cheon lightly jumped down from the window frame, walked over casually with heavy steps, and circled around Baek Mu-geuk.
Regardless, Baek Mu-geuk just stood there blankly with an indifferent expression.
Namgung Cheon suddenly asked again.
“Which one is the real one?”
“There is no such thing as a real one.”
“Then?”
“Right now, I am just me.”
“Then what about that cheeky guy from earlier? His way of speaking was totally rude.”
“Il-geuk is also just Il-geuk.”
“In short, they are all real, is that it?”
“…….”
“So you, who are somewhat blank, are Mu-geuk. That guy who threw his manners out the window is Il-geuk, and the bastard who uses ice arts is I-geuk. Something like that?”
At Namgung Cheon’s words, Baek Mu-geuk’s expression distorted faintly.
‘As expected, he knows about I-geuk’s existence.’
‘Well, since he used ice arts for a moment, he must have noticed.’
‘Because you couldn’t handle it properly, even I-geuk had to step in.’
‘You idiot, what did you do so well?’
‘I didn’t mean to do better, but rather not to make mistakes.’
‘Humans grow by making mistakes.’
While Mu-geuk and Il-geuk were bickering and conversing inside him, laughter suddenly burst out.
“Hahahaha! You really are a funny bastard, aren’t you?”
“……?”
“Did you just talk to Il-geuk in your head?”
“……!”
“No, there’s no need to look so surprised. Just now, your expression kept changing bizarrely like this, then like that.”
Namgung Cheon imitated him, pulling the corners of his eyes up and down repeatedly with his fingers.
Although that appearance was somewhat ridiculous and embarrassing, Baek Mu-geuk remained expressionless.
“You are definitely Mu-geuk in normal times. Then are you the boss?”
“Fuck, who’s the boss? Do your eyes see this blank bastard as a boss?”
Instantly, Baek Mu-geuk raised his eyebrows sharply and poured out curses.
While Namgung Cheon wore a blank look for a moment, Baek Mu-geuk had already returned to his original face and replied blankly.
“Sorry. Il-geuk acted on his own.”
“Wow, this bastard… lives such an easy life.”
“…….”
“Well, you probably never get bored.”
“Try hanging around with a bastard like this all day long. See if you don’t get bored.”
“Hmm.”
“Just now was also Il-geuk.”
“Then do you and Il-geuk switch at any time?”
“It’s almost like switching instinctively.”
“I see. So, how far does it go?”
“What?”
“Is there an O-geuk and a Yuk-geuk too? What about Chil-geuk and Pal-geuk?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? You mean you don’t even know how many people are inside you?”
“I don’t know.”
“You really are an interesting bastard.”
It was not sarcasm.
It was admiration coming from the bottom of his heart. To think there was such an interesting guy in the world. Was he not even crazier than himself?
Since multiple personalities seemed to pop out, he had tried calling him ‘Split-personality’ in his mind, and it really seemed like the perfect nickname for this guy.
Receiving Baek Mu-geuk’s blank gaze, Namgung Cheon shrugged his shoulders.
“Ah, don’t take it too personally. It’s just that in all my years, I’ve never seen a case like this.”
“You’re not that old, though.”
“Let’s move past that.”
“Why did you come?”
“Today is the deadline.”
“Deadline?”
“One thousand three hundred taels of silver. Since you made my source of funds, Yun Jong-seung, like that, you have to pay a deposit, right?”
“Yun Jong-seung is recovering.”
“Yes, he’s recovering well. His life force is tougher than I thought. But you never know in life, do you? Who knows if that guy will suddenly choke on a rice cake tomorrow morning and kick the bucket? We should prepare for that.”
“I don’t have money.”
“If you don’t pay the money, you’ll have to be beaten up to the tune of four thousand six hundred taels’ worth, as I said before.”
“I don’t have it.”
“Nothing can be done then. Actually, I was on edge. Lest you… no, one of you guys suddenly thrust money at me. I’m glad you didn’t let down my expectations.”
“…….”
Instantly, Namgung Cheon’s gaze became colder than ever.
“Then, I’ll see you on the day of the sparring match. Because I will make sure to get four thousand six hundred taels’ worth out of you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“It’s always like that. Most humans only go ‘Ah’ after they get beaten up.”
Namgung Cheon stepped on the window frame and instantly threw his body into the darkness, disappearing.
Watching the empty space on the window frame, the corners of Baek Mu-geuk’s mouth tore into a wide grin at some point.
“That bastard… is a fucking hilarious bastard.”
* * *
Sitting cross-legged on a rock in the back garden, Namgung Cheon slowly opened his eyes as he finished his energy circulation and breathing.
Whoosh.
A late autumn wind blew, scattering fallen leaves.
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes and watched the fluttering leaves.
Soon, the fallen leaves cooled down chillingly and turned into ice grains, and beyond those ice grains, he could see Baek Mu-geuk rushing at him while wielding a sword.
Namgung Cheon unfolded the ultimate techniques of the Namgung Clan against him. While colliding head-on with the flying sword, he suddenly slid away, rotated like a whirlwind, and slashed Baek Mu-geuk’s flank.
Baek Mu-geuk faded away in midair.
The rushing ice grains soon became fallen leaves again, soaring into the sky as if swept up by a small whirlwind before scattering powerlessly.
How long did he carry out the imaginary battle like that?
“Ssssssp, huuuuu.”
Namgung Cheon, who took a long breath in and exhaled, slowly raised his head.
‘What I confirmed were metal, fire, and water. In that case, there might be another ego capable of operating the qi of the wood phase and earth phase at the very least.’
It was not easy to understand how one person could be like that, but there would be no harm in being prepared.
Besides, there was also the conversation he had shared with Namgung Geom.
Namgung Cheon raised his head and looked at the sky.
The autumn sky was dyed by the sunset, holding a beautiful color.
He remembered looking up at a sky resembling today’s with Namgung Seon once upon a time.
‘That day, you smiled more beautifully than the sunset.’
He remembered forgetting all the worries and anxieties of the world the moment he saw that smiling face.
A brief moment that felt like eternity.
Without that memory, would he have been able to endure all those long years in the past?
Would she be watching him from heaven by now?
At the very least, I will be a man you can be proud of, and a father my son won’t be ashamed of.
It doesn’t suit me?
People don’t live their lives only doing things that suit them. Just like how you fell for me.
Namgung Cheon chuckled and got up from his seat.
It felt as though Namgung Seon’s voice was reaching his ears.
-When did I fall for you? You coaxed the pure me!
‘That’s what falling for someone is.’
Just as he was about to leave the back garden, a group of cadets turned the corner and came into view.
Yun Jong-seung, whose whole body was wrapped tightly in bandages, and Yu Hyeon were particularly noticeable, but Paeng Su-hyeok, Jin So-hong, and Ju Yeon-hwa were also with them.
“What brings you here?”
“To cheer you on.”
Ju Yeon-hwa replied with a bright smile.
As Namgung Cheon turned his gaze to Yun Jong-seung and Yu Hyeon, Yun Jong-seung approached while leaning on crutches and spoke.
“Namgung Cheon, win.”
“I will. But did you come here to ask me for that? To get revenge for you?”
“It’s not like that!”
Yun Jong-seung shouted out loud.
When Namgung Cheon slightly narrowed his brow at the sudden loud noise, Yun Jong-seung flinched and stared into the distance.
“It, it really isn’t like that. Just… we…”
“It is simply because we like Young Master Namgung. We came to cheer you on with pure intentions.”
“……?”
At that, Paeng Su-hyeok, who was watching, yelled as if growling.
“There are people who aren’t like that! For example, a guy like me! I am absolutely not cheering you on because I like a bastard like you! I just think that if someone calls themselves my enemy, they should at least be the winner of the Joint Conference!”
He had never called himself that, though.
“So you must win! If you are the self-proclaimed enemy of the Hebei Paeng Clan, you must at least have that level of qualification.”
Like he said, he had never called himself that.
Ju Yeon-hwa also chimed in.
“I like Young Master Namgung too. This is pure cheering. We all feel the same way. Well, it’s only natural that some people can’t be honest with their own feelings.”
As Ju Yeon-hwa spoke while giving a side-glance, Paeng Su-hyeok flew into a rage.
“Who’s not being honest? I am more honest than ever! Who is it? The dishonest bastard!”
“Ah, yes, yes.”
Ju Yeon-hwa nodded half-heartedly, making the others burst into laughter.
It was an unfamiliar sight.
Cheering someone else on with pure intentions.
It was not easy to imagine.
Since he had lived in a bleak world where enemies were everywhere, it was even harder to understand.
Was it not his past life where he had to suspect even the person laughing right next to him first?
But did he not have to do that anymore?
The people looking at him with eyes of trust did not seem to have any ill intent.
‘Is this also your arrangement?’
-That’s right. Look at the warmer side of the world a bit more. You… have never lived that kind of life even once before.
‘In any case, a woman like you…’
I miss you.
Acheingly.
Namgung Cheon shook off his longing with an effort and nodded.
“Don’t worry. I’ll trample him properly, interest included.”
* * *
Finally, the day of the long-awaited finals dawned.
The streets of Wuhan grew quiet.
The merchants shut down their shops entirely, and the travelers left their inns early on to head toward the Grand Martial Arena of the Martial Alliance.
It really felt as if all the people of Wuhan had flocked to the Martial Alliance.
As the spectator seats of the Grand Martial Arena overflowed with the crowd, people also sat down on mats laid out outside the arena.
Of course, they could not verify the sparring taking place in the Grand Martial Arena with their own eyes.
Instead, there were people at the top of the spectator stands who watched every detail of the match’s progress and broadcasted it out loud on the spot.
Because the announcers, who were paid by the Wuhan Merchant Association to broadcast, had such excellent eloquence, they could describe the situation as vividly as if one were watching it right in front of them.
In any case, today was the day when everyone’s interest was focused on this final match.
“Namgung Cheon will win, right? It’s the birth of a new dragon.”
“Still, he is from the Valiant Martial Academy. Isn’t he a cadet who came up after defeating the rising star of Mount Hua? I think Cadet Baek Mu-geuk will win.”
“My goodness, I thought this year would also be a fierce battle between the disciples of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang of the Valiant Martial Academy and the children of the Five Great Clans of the Righteous Chivalry Academy… but it is going in a completely unexpected direction.”
“That’s why I can’t even guess. Who on earth will win.”
“Let’s watch for now. Still, I bet on Namgung Cheon winning.”
“It’s not that I don’t support him, but realistically, I bet my money on Baek Mu-geuk winning.”
Their respective stories drifted like clouds in the air of the Grand Martial Arena.
And while everyone watched, Namgung Cheon and Baek Mu-geuk finally began to walk out toward the sparring stage.
“Whoaaaaa!”
“No matter who wins, you guys are new dragons! Do your best!”
“Namgung Cheon! Win!”
“Baek Mu-geuk! I bet on you!”
The shouts of the spectators soared high into the sky.